Holy is His Name

In a way the very act of “defining” or naming God requires a reverence not unlike Moses being told to remove his sandals, for indeed we are “on holy ground.” A holiness that renders his name unpronounceable and thus written as such: YHWH. The first time it appears is in Gen 2:4.” This is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation. When the LORD God (YHWH) made the earth and the heavens.” In Exodus 3:14 Moses asked God for his name in order to tell it to the Israelites. Surely he was wanting to back up his “mission” with authority and verification. He was not disappointed, for the “Voice” coming from the burning bush made it known: “God replied to Moses:’I am who I am.'” then he added: ‘This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM (YHWH) has sent me to you.'”

The reverence which the Jewish scribe had for the holy name of God went so far as to give burial to the page on which he made a mistake in transcribing the word YHWH. These written characters represented the very being of God, which, of course, always remains an ineffable mystery. Therefore, it was done with utmost respect and devotion. These four letters mean “He[who] is.” Therefore, it bespeaks of the very essence of God’s nature.

What is so meaningful is the fact that, in giving us the prayer of the Our Father, Jesus has also amplified the definition of God in this way: “Our Father…hallowed be thy name.” In other words, of all the descriptions given to YHWH in the Old Testament, it is the word father that Jesus connects to the very nature of God!

Actually all of this is too sacred for words. And because it is so, it is best simply to bow down and worship. Holy is his name!